Platform



Feb. 4, 1930. D. E. HENNESSY 1,745,617

I PLATFORM Filed Jan. 18, 1927 lnvenfor;

- ,5 DanielEHennessy WMMZM ATTys.

- the floor members;

use of platforms of this type.

I Patented Feb. 4', 193a UNITED ures PATENT, OFFICE NIEL E. HENNESSY, OFCAMBRIDGE, MAssAcHUsErrrs, nssfenon TO LEWIS-SHEP- .ARD COMPANY, 0F WATERTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSA- cnnsnrrs' I PLATFORM I Application filed January 18, 1927. Serial No. 161,856.

This invention relates to improvements in .portableplatformswhich are adapted to be transported from-place to place with the'load thereupomby elevating tru'cksjand the parf6 ticular object of the invention is to provide a platformhaving end frames in the form of adjustable channels which can be made to 1 fit upon the ends of the floor members of different thicknesses and which end frames will serve also as a protection to the ends of A further object of the invention is to provide a platform in which the legs extend 'longitu'dinallyof the floor members for the elevating'trucksbeneath the ends of the plat form which are bound by the end frames instead of being introduced beneath the platform ina direction transversely of the length of the floor membersas is usual in the general A preferre'l embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which: V Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a platform containing the invention;

Fig.2 is a plan view of the same; I

Fig. 3 is a detail view in vertical sectio illustrating the diiferent arrangement of the anglebars forming the end'frames;

Fig. 4 is a detail view ofthe preferred arrangement of the angle bars to form the end frame; and 5is a side bodying the invention, the central theplatform being broken away.

. The platform comprises a series of floor elevation of a platform emportion of members 1 with end frames formed of angle bars embracing the ends of the floor members and clamping the same therebetween. In the construction illustrated in Fig. 1 the horizontal flanges 2 of the upper angle bars engage the upper face of the ends of the floor members while the, vertical flanges 3 thereof engage" the ends of the floor members. The horizontal flanges 4 of the lower angle bars engage the under face of the ends of the- .floor members while the vertical flanges 5' thereof engage the ends of the floor members and are in the same plane with the vertical purpose of causing the introductionofthe as planks, of any desired thickness, and any looseness which may occur by shrinkage of the floor members, wear or otherwise, may be readily taken up by setting up the nuts upon the bolts.

' In the preferred form of construction the legs 7 are lJ-shaped with horizontal flanges Sand 9 at'the upper ends of the leg members.

, The flange 8 desirably is engaged by the bolt which clamps the angle bars upon the ends of the floor members. The legs extend longitudinally of the floor members and the flanges 9 thereof are connected'to the floor members by bolts 10 the heads of which desirably are countersunk in suitable recesses in the faces of the floor members. By thus positioning the legs longitudinally of the floor members a platform construction is provided which differsfrom usual types of platforms in which the legs are arranged beneath the metallic side frames and'presents a platform under which the elevating trucks will be naturally introduced. in longitudinal direction of the floor members.

By thus connecting the inner end of the legs at a distance from the end of the platform floor members to which the other end of the leg is secured through the metallic side members, a much more rigid construction is provided than in the usual construction in which both ends of the legs are secured to the end frame members, because the legs extend in a direction in which force is generally applied to the platform. Furthermore, the'remote anchorage of the inner end of the legs avoids the likelihood of causing the bolts to split out the ends of the platform. This is especially true where no metallic girders are provided to connect the end frames of the platform.

, The angle bar end frames will therefore tal flanges 8 of a leg "(of the type illustrated protect the ends of the platform from any injury which might occur by the careless backing of the trucks beneath the platform. The platform above described is of verysime ple construction and can be made of standard materials at a minimum cost.

The angle barswhich form the end frames may be of any suitable size or construction.

A modified form of end frame is illustrated in Fig. 3 which comprises an upper angle bar having a horizontal flange 11 and a vertical flange 12 and a lower angle bar having a hor-' izontal flange 13 and a vertical flange 14 which is overlapped by the vertical flange 12 and upper angle bar. The platform me'm bersl are clampedbetween horizontal flanges 11 and 13. It will benoted that the relative positions of the angle bars are such as to provide an adjustable channel to receive the ends of the floor members so that floor membersofany desired width may be introduced into such channel and firmly clamped therein by bolts '15 which pass through thehorizontal flanges 11 and 12 of the upper andlower angle bars and alsodesirablythrough the horizonin Fig. 1, the nut-16 upon the bolt 15jbeing adapted when set up to clamp the upper and lower angle bars together with the ends of the floor members between the horizontal flanges of the angle bars.

In the preferred construction illustrated in Fig. 4 the upper angle bars comprise horizontal flanges 17 which engage the upper faces of the floor members 1 and vertical flanges 18which engage the ends of the floor members; the lower angle bars comprise horizontal flanges 19 which engage the under faces ofthe floor members and vertical flanges 20 which overlap the vertical flanges 18 of the upper angle bars.

The horizontal flanges 8 of the U-shaped legs engage the horizontal flanges 19 of the lower angle bars and bolts 20 serve to secure the angle bars and flanges of the legs together and also to clamp the ends of the floor members between the horizontal flanges of the angle bars as above described.

In the construction illustrated in Fig. 4 the overlapping vertical flanges present a double thickness of metal to protect the ends of the floor members. c

It will be understood that the embodiments of the invention disclosed herein are of an illustrative character and that various changes in form, construction and arrangement of parts may'be made within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

. Having thus described the invention, what J 1s clalmed as new, and desired to besecured by Letters Patent, is:

ends of said floor members thereby providing metal-bound platform ends, means for clamping said angle bars with the floor members therebetween and legs extending lengthwise of the floor members connected at one end to the lower angle bars by said clamping means and connected at the other end to the floor members at a distance from said'end, whereby the legs form braces to resistlateral movement ofsaid angle bars and prevent the bolts from splitting out of the ends 10f the "floor members.

2. A platform having a series of floor members, end frames therefor comprising upper and lower metallic angle bars having overrlapping vertical flanges andembracing the ends of said floor members, bolts securing said angle bars together with the ends of the floor .members therebetweemthereby forming adjustable channels fitting the ends ofrsaid floor;

membersand U-shaped legs extending longitudinally of said floor membershavingat their upper ends horizontal flanges the outer I of which are secured to the end frames by said bolts and the inner flanges ofwhichare eosecured to said floor members at a distance fromthe end frames, whereby the legs form braces to resist lateral movement ofsaid angle bars'and prevent the bolts from splitting out of the end of the floormembers 3. A platform having a series'of floor mema bers, end frames therefor comprlsmg reversely arranged upper andlower metallic angle bars having overlapping flanges andembracangle bars and preventthe bolts from splitv tin out of the ends of the floor members.

11 testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specificatiom 1 DANIEL E. HENNESSY.

1. A platform having a series of floor members, end frames therefor comprising upper and lower metallic angle bars engaging the Y ends and the upper and lower faces of the ing the ends of the floor members thereby pro-goo l V 

